Maternal cytokine profiles in second and early third trimester are not predictive of preterm birth.

Previous studies have investigated whether inflammatory cytokines in maternal circulation are associated with preterm birth. However, many have reported inconsistent results, and few have investigated cytokine trends through gestation, particularly with respect to subtypes of preterm birth. We explored levels of 15 inflammatory cytokines and growth factors in plasma and serum collected in the second (17-23 weeks, timepoint 1 (T1)) and third (28-32 weeks, timepoint 2 (T2)) trimesters with respect to subtypes of preterm birth: spontaneous preterm labour (sPTL), preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), and medically indicated preterm birth (mPTB).

Potential molecular and cellular mechanisms for adverse placental outcomes in pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection-A scoping review.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy can result in placental damage and poor placental outcomes. However, the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to placental damage are not well understood. With a rapid expansion of literature on this topic, it is critical to assess the quality and synthesize the current state of literature.

Is there a maternal blood biomarker that can predict spontaneous preterm birth prior to labour onset? A systematic review.

Introduction: The ability to predict spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) prior to labour onset is a challenge, and it is currently unclear which biomarker(s), may be potentially predictive of sPTB, and whether their predictive power has any utility. A systematic review was conducted to identify maternal blood biomarkers of sPTB.

Methods: This study was conducted according to PRISMA protocol for systematic reviews.

Prostaglandins in biofluids in pregnancy and labour: A systematic review.

Prostaglandins are thought to be important mediators in the initiation of human labour, however the evidence supporting this is not entirely clear. Determining how, and which, prostaglandins change during pregnancy and labour may provide insight into mechanisms governing labour initiation and the potential to predict timing of labour onset. The current study systematically searched the existing scientific literature to determine how biofluid levels of prostaglandins change throughout pregnancy before and during labour, and whether prostaglandins and/or their metabolites may be useful for prediction of labour.

Quality assessment of RNA in long-term storage: The All Our Families biorepository.

Background: The All Our Families (AOF) cohort study is a longitudinal population-based study which collected biological samples from 1948 pregnant women between May 2008 and December 2010. As the quality of samples can decline over time, the objective of the current study was to assess the association between storage time and RNA (ribonucleic acid) yield and purity, and confirm the quality of these samples after 7-10 years in long-term storage.

Methods: Maternal whole blood samples were previously collected by trained phlebotomists and stored in four separate PAXgene Blood RNA Tubes (PreAnalytiX) between 2008 and 2011.